Fallen Mobius
by KnightMysterio
Summary: Mobius is gone. Destroyed in a fit of pique by the mad Dr. Eggman. Now the survivors of Mobius must do their best to survive in this new world, the Mushroom Kingdom...


_**Fallen Kingdom**_

_**Chapter 1: The Initial Meeting**_

_**by Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires**_

_ All characters copyrighted to Nintendo, Sega, and Archie respectively, and used for non-profit amusement reasons. Takes place in an AU version of all worlds. _

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_Mushroom Kingdom..._

_Imperial Capital..._

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The blue hedgehog at the head of the small caravan sighed, cursing the slowness of the group but unwilling to leave them. The gathering of refugees wandered nervously through the city, the animal people tremendously out of place amongst the mushroom-like citizens of the imperial capital.

They came up the the palace gates, the palace itself a quaint, homey place on top of the hill with the image of a beautiful human woman above the main doors.

A pair of mushroom guards, larger than the rest but still absurdly cute-looking like the rest of their kind, came up to the caravan and pointed their spears at the blue hedgehog.

"We're expected," he said simply.

"I wasn't," the guard said, sneering. The blue hedgehog snickered at his attempt to look intimidating, which failed miserably. The guard huffed. "Laugh all you like, quillbag. I can still stick this spear where the sun don't shine..."

"That will be quite enough," said a voice. The blue hedgehog and his companions looked up, surprised, as a green pipe emerged from the ground, an older mushroom man emerging from it. He hopped down, his leap making an odd boinging sound as he landed near them.

The guards both eeped and bowed to him. "Master Toadsworth," the guard who had spoken to the blue hedeghog said. "These vagabonds were..."

"They are not vagabonds," Toadsworth said, stroking his pointed beard thoughtfully as he looked over the blue hedeghog and his companions. "They are refugees, from that destroyed planet."

The guards traded shocked looks. "You... You mean... It's real? They're from another planet?" said the other guard.

Toadsworth glared at him. "For Heaven's sake, man, weren't you watching the skies? Didn't you see the explosion a week ago? See the ships crashing?"

The guard paled, grinning weakly. "Sir... It was the Battlemania PPV at the Glitz Pit that night... Rawk Hawk's big title bout against Big Daddy Grodus..." he said.

Toadsworth facepalmed. "A wonder of the universe and you're watching that featherbrain flex his muscles..." the old mushroom said, shaking his head. "At any rate, the Princess is expecting them."

The blue hedgehog traded looks with another of his companions, a cloaked woman with brownish fur. "Princess? Not the King and Queen?" she asked.

"Simple matters of state such as this are handled by Princess Peach in her personal castle, which is what you see ahead of you," Toadsworth said. He paused, and added, "Oh, forgive me. I am Toadsworth, Major Domo to the Princess Peach, Heir Apparent to the Mushroom Throne, the Lady Angelheart, the Pink Bastion."

"Pink Bastion?" the blue hedgehog said, snickering. The cloaked woman elbowed him. "We await to meet her ladyship then," she said.

Toadsworth nodded, and opened the gate. "Jump into the pipe," he said.

"Sir, their weapons," he said, gesturing to the pink hedgehog's hammer and the coyote's sword.

"The Brothers are there," Toadsworth said. "It will be all right."

The guards visibly relaxed at the mention of 'Brothers,' which worried the small group. Toadsworth hopped up to the pipe, again making a small 'boinging' sound as he did. "Just jump in," he said. "You'll be deposited at the Castle doorstep. I will take you the rest of the way."

He stood on the opening of the pipe and clicked his heels together. With an odd blorping sound, he lowered into the pipe. The gathered animal people frowned and leaped up to the pipe themselves. To their surprise, their own jumps made the same odd boinging sound everyone else's did. Trading worried looks, they did as Toadsworth did.

A feeling like sinking into water engulfed them as they slid into the pipe. There was a brief feeling of weightlessness as they sank in fully, only to be pushed up into the air again, reappearing in a small glade that was closed off by hills, the glade around them occasionally dotted by large red-bulbed flowers. They were at the castle they had seen in the distance.

"What the heck was that?!" the blue hedgehog asked, he and the others looking around in confusion.

Toadsworth chuckled. "Your first trip through a warp pipe can be disorienting," he said. "Now follow me," he said. "Mind the Piranha Plants."

"Piranha Plants?" the pink hedgehog asked, confused.

As if on cue, the bulb nearest them opened its mouth and began snapping about with gnashing teeth. The group of animal people jumped back, startled.

Toadsworth chuckled. "Stay on the dirt path and they should leave you alone," he said.

The gathering of animal people frowned, trading worried looks, and followed Toadsworth up to the castle doors.

Before they could enter, though, a massive stone block slammed down, one lined with blunt stone spikes and that had a sour expression on its face.

"URGH!" it said as it slammed down.

"Otis," Toadsworth said admonishingly, "These are guests. The Princess is expecting them."

The block stared at them appraisingly, and frowned. "You sure?" it said. "I mean, some of them are armed."

"Nothing the Brothers cannot handle," Toadsworth said. "As you well know when you still worked for the Koopa Troop."

Otis grunted. "Don't remind me... SO glad I defected..."

"These Brothers must be fine warriors for so many insults to be paid us," the coyote said, sniffing indignantly.

"Sugah," said the cloaked rabbit, "Do y'all honestly think that a bunch of refugees who are slowly starving to death are any kinda threat to anyone right now?"

The coyote sighed. "I suppose you are right, ma chére..." he said.

Toadsworth grinned weakly. "My apologies. I mean no offense, but the Brothers are the most skilled defenders the Kingdom has."

The blue hedgehog chuckled. "I'm kinda wantin' to meet them, the more I hear about them..."

Otis stared at the animal people for a moment longer, and snorted. "All right. But don't try anything," he muttered. "I'm not the only Thwomp in the building..." He floated back up into the doorway, the animalfolk surprisingly hearing a TV turning on.

"Sorry about that," Toadsworth said. "I'm sure that Otis will inform rest of the castle Thwomps, so they won't try to stomp you as you pass under them. Stick to the path I go to, however. It's almost feeding time for the Chain Chomps and they tend to get a little frisky."

"Chain Chomps?!" The youngest looking of them, a two-tailed orange fox, shouted.

Toadsworth smirked. "You'll understand when you see them," he said.

The animalfolk traded worried looks again, and followed Toadsworth inside. Lining the red carpeted path were several balls and chains attached to the walls. To their surprise, however, the balls suddenly opened their eyes and lunged at the path, barking like dogs, gnashing with their wide mouths of razor sharp teeth.

The animalfolk gathered around each other nervously, those who were armed drawing their weapons. Toadsworth just shook his head calmly and went over to them, smacking the largest of the ball and chain creatures with his cane, causing it to yip.

"Bad doggies!" he said.

The ball and chain creatures suddenly stopped their barking, looking ashamed. Toadsworth shook his head at them. "These are guests, not intruders or food! Be quiet!"

The Chain Chomps, as that is what the animalfolk guessed they were, receded, watching the animalfolk warily as Toadsworth led them on.

"...Precisely how much of the flora and fauna on zis world is weaponized?" the coyote asked.

"Most of it," Toadsworth said casually.

The animalfolk traded dismayed looks. Toadsworth led them through several more traps, disabling them and re-enabling them once they had passed, including several pitfalls, disturbingly cute sentient bombs, and a staircase enchanted to seemingly go on forever. Once they made their way past a gigantic grandfather clock, they reached the throne room, where four humans waited for them.

Sitting atop a throne at the top of a long staircase was a lovely woman in a beautiful, flowing pink dress. Her long, blond hair was bound behind her in a tight ponytail, her crystal blue eyes staring down at the gathered animalfolk with an appraising eye.

Standing next to her was a lovely, if somewhat tomboyish seeming, princess with elegant brown hair, clad in a flowery yellow dress. A smirk was on her face as she looked over the newcomers.

And sitting on the stairway were two lightly chubby men in blue overalls, the shorter wearing a red shirt and cap, the taller wearing a green shirt and cap, both with fantastic mustaches. They stared down at the animalfolk warily, the red one in particular giving them a close look, keeping his focus on the blue hedgehog.

The blue hedgehog frowned, guessing that these were the 'Brothers.' They didn't seem like much, looking more like plumbers than heroes, but the blue hedgehog could tell that the red one had a bit of fight in him...

Toadsworth stepped forward and bowed to the pink princess. "My lady, I humbly present the delegation from the lost planet Mobius," he said.

The princess bowed her head to him slightly, gesturing for him to step aside.

"I am Princess Peach," she said, her voice soft and angelic, "Heir Apparent to the Mushroom Throne and Regent to the People. To my right is Princess Daisy, my beloved cousin, Heir Apparent to the throne of Sarasaland and ambassador for that selfsame kingdom. Sitting on the stairs are my kingdom's greatest protectors, the Mario Brothers. Mario, and Luigi." Each one Princess Peach introduced nodded when their name was called out.

The shorter of the two cloaked women came forward and pulled her hood down, revealing a face that was a cross between a squirrel and a chipmunk. She knelt, the other animalfolk kneeling with her. "My lady," she said. "I am Princess Sally Acorn, last living member of the Royal House of Acorn. I have brought with me some of the greatest warriors of my world, the Freedom Fighters, sas my personal guard. We come to plead for asylum in your kingdom, representing the surviving leaders of various clans, and to swear fealty to you."

Princess Peach stroked her chin thoughtfully. "How did you come to our world, Princess Sally?" she asked. "Also, you may stand."

The animalfolk stood up once more. Princess Sally sighed, the blue hedgehog putting a hand on her shoulder for comfort. "Your majesty," she said, "Our world, Mobius, was in a constant, ongoing war with a madman who wished to conquer it. He was a human, as you are, and his name was Doctor Eggman. Recently, Eggman decided that if he couldn't have Mobius, no one would. So he began ruining it, his toxins poisoning the atmosphere beyond repair. We were... forced to flee. What was left of our people were forced to abandon our homeworld and flee in a ship through the Special Zone. We ran out of power shortly before crashing here."

Princess Peach nodded. "And your supplies?"

"Nearly diminished, your highness," Sally said. "It is part of the reason we came here. Approximately ten percent of our people survived, some dying on the escape ships. We're running low on food and fresh water, and will take any help you can give us. And in return, as we said, we will swear fealty to you. We have brought tribute as well."

"Time enough for that later," Peach said, nodding and trading amused looks with Daisy. "Please, introduce yourselfs. Individually, please."

Sally looked at the others, who gave various sounds of assent. She nodded to them, the blue hedgehog stepping forward.

"I'm Sonic the Hedgehog," he said. "Field leader of the Freedom Fighters."

Mario raised his hand, interrupting. "Forgive-a me, but..." he said, "'Freedom Fighters?'"

Sonic rubbed his nose, smirking. "Eggman had basically conquered our world. We were the one of the main groups fighting to free our planet from him. We did get a lot of it back, re-established the kingdom. Aaaand... then he blew it all up..." His face fell at mention at that.

Mario grimaced. "I'm-a sorry..."

"Please, continue," Peach said, smiling benevolently.

An orange fox with two tails stepped forward. "Miles Prower, your highness. I'm one of the team's two technicians... But, most everyone calls me Tails."

A lavender walrus stepped forward. "Rotor Walrus, ma'am. I'm the team's other tech, and was briefly a member of the People's Council that supplemented the royal family before Mobius's destruction."

The pink hedgehog stepped forward, bowing. "Amy Rose, your highness," she said simply, bowing.

A shy lynx in a light purple dress came forward and knelt. "Nicole the Lynx," she said. "I'm... ah, it's a little hard to summarize..."

"You are a living machine," Peach said, surprising everyone. Peach smiled, and tapped her eyes. "I can tell," she said. "You have a soul, as the others do, but it bears the distinct appearance of one born from a technological being rather than an organic one."

Nicole blinked, and smiled. "I... yes, Princess. That's pretty much it," she said, relieved that she wouldn't be seen as a freak.

The coyote came forward next. "General Antoine D'Coolette," he said, bowing grandly. "It is an honor to meet you, your highness."

The second cloaked woman came forward next, kneeling and revealing herself to be a rabbit. "Bunnie D'Coolette, your highness," she said softly.

Daisy blinked, noticing one of her arms and both her legs were robotic. "What happened to you?" she asked.

Bunnie frowned, looking at her arm. "Part of the reason Eggman was able to take over our world is because of a device called the Roboticizer. It does... pretty much what the name implies..."

Sonic shook his head sadly. "My uncle made it originally. It was supposed to be a life extension machine, but the first subject it was tested on, my Dad, turned into a mindless robot drone. My uncle shelved it, but Eggman, who went by the name Robotnik back then, took it and began converting hundreds, and then thousands, and then millions of Mobians into robots. Bunnie was in the process of being roboticized when we freed her, making her part machine."

Peach, Daisy, Mario and Luigi traded worried looks.

"Can it be-a reversed?" Luigi asked softly.

"It can, and we did get most folks de-roboticized with a little alien intervention. (Long story.) But it can't be reversed for me," Bunnie said, chuckling weakly. "After a few years, mah body started to reject the robotic parts, which led to me being poisoned by them. The choices were either risk a deroboticization attempt with a machine that may not work and kill me outright, get mah robot parts amputated and be helpless the rest of mah life, or get mah robot parts upgraded and still be able t'fight, but be unable to turn back to flesh and blood ever again. Ah decided ah wanted to fight."

Peach nodded. "A brave choice," she said. "I am sorry that you had to make it, but I respect that you had the courage to continue fighting."

Bunnie shrugged. "Sally-girl needed me. Mah friends needed me," she said. "Ah couldn't just let m'self be helpless."

Peach nodded. "Did Eggman survive the destruction of your world?"

Sally nodded, scowling. "Unfortunately, ma'am," she said, "he did. Along with a great deal of his minions. Last we saw of them, they were taking their fleet to a volcanic region to the northwest of here."

"Bowser's territory," Mario said. "We-a may have some time then before he becomes a threat."

Sonic blinked. "Why?"

Mario snickered. "Fleet or not, that area is completely under King Bowser Koopa's control. He's-a the most persistent enemy of the kingdom, and a powerful, brutal mage."

Luigi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I think-a that Eggman's gonna be fighting to survive Bowser for a while," he said.

Peach quirked an eyebrow. "There's still the possibility that Eggman might seek an alliance with Bowser, too. Although if Eggman is anything like I think he is, his ego will not allow him to be subject to Bowser. And I KNOW Bowser, so I'm pretty sure he won't accept being second to anyone."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Considering the number of times he's helped save the day just so he could claim exclusive conquering rights to our territories? Yeah, that sounds about right."

The Mobians traded confused looks at the amusement of the four humans.

"Your highness?" Sally asked.

"Sorry, sorry," Peach said. "We'll explain later. In the meantime, what have you offered as tribute?"

Sally reached into her cloak, pausing briefly as the Mario Brothers reflexively braced themselves to leap down. Peach held up a hand to stop them and nodded to Sally, who brought out seven large crystals from her cloak, kneeling and holding them out to Peach.

"The seven Chaos Emeralds, your highness," she said. "Artifacts of tremendous magical power. It is by sheer luck that we were able to retrieve them before Eggman did."

Peach gestured, her hand glowing. The Chaos Emeralds floated up from Sally's hand to swirl around Peach's own. She considered them carefully, letting the glowing crystal's magic flow into her briefly. She then closed her hand, a magical cage appearing around them, locking them in place.

"Have these placed in the vault," Peach said. "And contact Princess Rosalina. Mentor will want to examine them..." Toadsworth nodded and picked up the cage, walking out of the room with it and giving an order to one of the guards outside the room, heading back in to join his Princess. She smiled at the Mobians and said, "The tribute was not needed, but I'm glad you were able to keep those artifacts out of your enemy's hands. I am also honored that you have entrusted them to us. We accept your offer of loyalty, and hereby proclaim that the surviving Peoples of Mobius are now a part of the Mushroom Kingdom. We do also declare that the Freedom Fighters shall now join the Mario Brothers as Knight Protectors of the Kingdom."

The Mobians relaxed visibly, smiling to one another, and bowing. Toadsworth hastily wrote down Peach's words, planning on making an official document later to recognize it.

Peach stood up, and started down the stairs, Daisy, Mario, and Luigi following her. "Territory shall be meted out for the Mobians to build homes, start farming, and raise their families. Resources shall be given as needed," Peach said, "and they shall receive all the protections of the Kingdom that the rest of my people do." She came up to Sally, and said, "Princess, you said that there are other clans amongst you?"

Sally nodded. "Remnants only, I'm afraid. The Shinobi and Gossamer ninja clans, the free Peoples of the Dragon Kingdom, the Felidae Empire, the Human Republic, and the Wolf Tribes. In addition to my own kingdom, and other groups that the surviving Freedom Fighter groups have taken leadership of," she said.

Peach nodded. "I would meet them," she said. "Toadsworth?"

Sally and the other Mobians seem surprised. "Your highness?" she asked.

Peach smiled. "I am a hands-on ruler. I do not hide in a castle and rule from on high," she said. "You are of my people now, and I make it a point to personally meet all of my people."

Daisy giggled, and patted Tails on the head. "Besides! We want to see if there are more as cute as Tails here," she said. Tails blushed and smiled as Daisy picked him up and hugged him.

Sally grinned. "It'd be an honor, your highness," she said.

Sonic relaxed a little. This was going better than he thought it would have. He then noticed Mario staring at him.

"What? My quills out of order or somethin'?" he said.

Mario just quirked an eyebrow. "Hnh... Time-a will tell," he said.

"Tell what?" Sonic said, folding his arms challengingly.

"You exude a lot-a of confidence," Mario said, standing up and putting his hands in his pockets. "Time-a will tell if-a your bravado is justified." In a single bound, he leaped down the stairs and landed behind the others, the jump taking no visible effort at all.

"...Wow," Amy said softly.

"You know, Mario," Luigi quipped. "The stairs ARE there-a for a reason."

Mario nodded. "Yes. They're-a there to make-a me look cool when I jump down them!" he quipped, heading out and whistling.

Peach just facepalmed, shaking her head. "He really is a nice fellow once you get to know him," she said, smiling thinly.

"I truly hope so, your highness," Sally said. "I have enough headaches from Sonic's ego."

"I am NOT that bad," Sonic said, pointing in the direction Mario went.

"Of course not," Sally and Amy said at once, the two women sharing amused giggles.

Sonic just rolled his eyes. The initial meeting had gone off well enough. Hopefully nothing would happen when they met the rest of the refugees...

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


End file.
